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Venom Annual Vol 2 1
Supporting Characters: * Antagonists: * * * Other Characters: * ** * * Unnamed homeless man * * * * Races and Species: * * * * * Unidentified alien species * Locations: * ** *** **** ***** ***** ****** Communications Room **** ***** ****** ******* ******** ********* ********** * ** * Items: * * Vehicles: * | Synopsis1 = In Earth's orbit, the Destromundo is hailed by Alpha Flight control, the pilot arguing with Captain Marvel that she needs no clearance. Calling up Alpha Flight's file on the pilot - Lady Hellbender, the Regent of Seknarf Nine - Carol Danvers notes that she is wanted for numerous charges, which Lady Hellbender scoffs is a modest assessment. Carol Danvers asks what the purpose of Lady Hellbender's visit is, the intergalactic huntress responding that she's hunting a monster as a screen of her quarry pops up. In Manhattan, Venom perches on a fire escape; Eddie Brock mentally narrating that the relationship between himself and the Venom symbiote has been tested and strained to the breaking point. Dropping down to the alley below, the Venom symbiote - who is in the driver's seat - tells Eddie that all that matters is that they are together... and the hunt for prey. A homeless man exclaims in terror that there's a monster, Venom mistakenly assuming the homeless man is talking about him and saying he doesn't harm the innocent. Mistaking Venom for Spider-Man, the homeless man points behind Venom. Irritably snapping that he's not Spider-Man, Venom turns to see Gnasher and Gasher standing in the alley. The two interlopers attack before Eddie can assess the threat, wondering what they are, the symbiote dismissing them as easy prey - pinning Gnasher and biting Gasher's arm. As Venom trounces them, Eddie cautions the symbiote that this is too easy, but it laughs and ignores him. As Venom prepares to devour them, he's attacked from behind by Lady Hellbender, who scolds her minions for thinking they could go toe-to-toe with a klyntar. Eddie's connection to the symbiote destabilized by Lady Hellbender's sonic attack, Venom is left helpless as she beams him onto her ship. Venom finds himself contained in a glass-walled cell, the symbiote wanting to go berserk as Eddie tries to remain calm and figure out what to do. As Venom snarls that he'll break free and eat his captors and their children, Lady Hellbender enters the room and tells him to show her respect befitting her royal status. Introducing herself as the Monster Queen of Seknarf Nine, Lady Hellbender states she'd tracked rumors of Venom across the galaxy, stating that most klyntar don't impress her - dismissing them as little more than parasites seeking to dominate and devour everything they come across - but that Venom is supposed to be unique: an equal partnership between symbiote and host, a monstrous hero that battles gods and devours sinners. As Venom roars that he'll rip out her heart, Lady Hellbender asks if that's the host talking or the symbiote. Lady Hellbender's gauntlets separate the symbiote from Eddie, scoffing that the symbiote isn't too noble to enslave his host, just too weak. Leaving Eddie lying on the ground, Lady Hellbender tells Gnasher to pack her Anti-Symbiote Gauntlets away and Gasher to take the Venom symbiote down to the menagerie and place it in cryostasis. Noticing Eddie is still conscious, Lady Hellbender remarks that while the klyntar is weak, the human might surprise them. Regaining consciousness on a bed, Eddie notes that he's been bathed and his injuries have been treated, wondering what kind of prison he's found himself in. Entering the room, Lady Hellbender tells him that her ship isn't a prison but a repository for unique specimens she collects to add to her menagerie, appreciatively commenting on his muscular physique. She notes that he survived being forcibly separated - which usually kills a symbiote's host. Eddie backs away as she flirtatiously climbs onto the bed, asking if she has a thing for enslaving beasts, but Lady Hellbender states she loves setting monsters free. She remarks that the klyntar are the ones who enslave, conquering planets, finding the strongest hosts, forcing dependency, and then consuming their host or abandoning them when they're needed most; speculating that Eddie has endured that sort of slavery himself. Eddie admits that his relationship with Venom was like that at first, Lady Hellbender remarks that he shows real strength in not letting those chains break him. Saying that Eddie is what makes Venom special, she asks if it wouldn't be nice to wield his strength for someone who respects his strength rather than demanding it. As she lays her hand on his thigh, Eddie rebukes her advances to no avail, Lady Hellbender only amping up her flirtation. In Lady Hellbender's menagerie room, the Venom symbiote furiously rails against being separated from Eddie, mentally exclaiming that they need to protect each other. As Gasher picks up the symbiote's canister and tells it to settle down, it breaks free and angrily declares its intent to kill everyone who gets between it and Eddie. Engulfing Gasher and leaving him unconscious, the symbiote watches with growing jealousy and rage as Lady Hellbender attempts to seduce Eddie despite his attempts to turn her down gently. As she leans in to kiss him, it screams Eddie's name and smashes the CCTV console, setting off an alarm. In the bedroom, Eddie wonders what's going on and Lady Hellbender surmises that the symbiote escaped and doesn't want to share him. As she gets up to leave and remarks that she'll just have to finish the symbiote off, Eddie incredulously remarks that she'd said she wanted to study Venom. Lady Hellbender remarks that he's the one she's interested in - not the symbiote, and that Eddie will understand better in her Menagerie Gardens on Seknarf Nine... either by her side as her consort, or displayed in them. Eddie protests that she'd said he wasn't a prisoner, saying he's not leaving Earth; Lady Hellbender replying that she honors monsters and that he'll understand once he's purged of the shackles the symbiote placed on him. As Lady Hellbender leaves, Eddie remarks that she's wrong - noting that he and the symbiote didn't control each other, but found strength in being together. Ashamed that he'd doubted that, Eddie sets out to find the symbiote. Eddie makes his way to Lady Hellbender's menagerie room to find Gnasher cradling Gasher's unconscious body, backing out before he's noticed. Reiterating that Venom's strength comes from the unity between the symbiote and its host, he spots the symbiote lurking in the shadows. In her armory, Lady Hellbender grouses that Eddie will understand once the symbiote is gone and she's shown him real monsters worthy of respect. Noticing her anti-symbiote gauntlets are missing, Lady Hellbender wonders where they've gone only for Venom to emerge out of the shadows and drop them on the ground. Disappointed but not surprised that Eddie and the symbiote got back together, Lady Hellbender grabs a warhammmer and attacks. Transforming his arm into a massive tentacle, Venom knocks the hammer out of her hands and tosses it aside. Grabbing her and coiling his tongue around her neck, Venom demands to know how to get off her ship. Lady Hellbender opens the airlock and asks if Eddie will survive the fall from low earth orbit. Grabbing her hammer, she smashes one of the discarded gauntlets. The sonic discharge strips Eddie of the symbiote, which is sucked out the airlock. Lady Hellbender reiterates her offer to make Eddie her lover and show him his true potential, but he retorts that he's strong enough already. Lady Hellbender remarks that he'd never survive falling from orbit. Agreeing but saying that Venom could, Eddie hurls himself out the airlock and bonds to the symbiote in freefall, apologizing for ever having doubted it and remarking that they should have just eaten her when they had the chance. Laughing, the symbiote tells Eddie it left her a goodbye present. Onboard her ship, Lady Hellbender gleefully watches as several of her captured specimens rampage, telling them to come and fight her. Grinning, she remarks that she'll be sure to return - not for Eddie or the symbiote - but for Venom. Silhouetted by lightning, Venom perches on one of Our Lady of Saints Church's gargoyles and roars triumphantly. | StoryTitle2 = Queen of the Monsters | Writer2_1 = Emily Ryan Lerner | Penciler2_1 = Victor Ibanez | Inker2_1 = Victor Ibanez | Colourist2_1 = Triona Tree Farrell | Letterer2_1 = Clayton Cowles | Editor2_1 = Chris Robinson | Editor2_2 = Devin Lewis | Editor2_3 = Nick Lowe | Appearing2 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Lady Hellbender's pet dinosaur * Triple Terracapite calf * Other Characters: * Fabien's cook * * Fabien's wife Races and Species: * * Numerous unidentified alien species * * * Locations: * ** *** **** ***** * ** Vehicles: * | Synopsis2 = | Solicit = VENOM VS. LADY HELLBENDER! After a busy few months, Eddie Brock and the symbiote are back together, but their union isn’t so perfect anymore... Meanwhile, the galaxy’s fiercest monster hunter is headed to Earth with a taste for klyntar... Plus! The Origin of Lady Hellbender! | Notes = * According to Donny Cates, this issue is not set at any point during his run, }} }} leaving it unclear where it fits into Earth-616 Venom's history. | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }} Category:Digital Comic Code included